Matthew 20:25-28, English Standard Version

“But Jesus called them to him and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great one’s exercise authority over them. It shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

As I have gotten older, I have gained life experience, and I am also blessed to know that I continue to grow closer to the Lord. One of things that I have begun to realize is that often the way the world views a particular topic is in direct contrast to the truth of God’s Word. One such topic is leadership.

There was a period of time in my life when I was very intrigued by the concept of leadership. I wanted to be a leader and as a result I sought after teaching and training on the topic of being a great leader. I read many books and met with teachers and coaches who I believed could help me to become a great leader. Many of the traits and skills that I read and heard about sounded very good and I began to form an image of what a great leader looks like. Among other things, I believed that a great leader needed to have the answers, be strong, be in control, be confident, and needed to be able to speak well so that other people would feel inspired by them. It was not until I found myself in a very low place that I started to reexamine what a true leader is.

The greatest leader who has ever lived is Jesus Christ. There is no one who even compares to Him. Yet, His leadership was not built on authority or popularity, but upon humility and love. He did not come expecting people to serve Him and submit to Him, He came to serve, He came to care, and He laid down His very life for us. He demonstrated that true leadership is when you view others the way that the Lord views you and as a result, you love them and serve them in the same ways He has done that for you.

One final thought on true leadership, the first person that you must be a leader for is yourself. If being true means that you love and care for others, then that means for you to truly lead yourself, you must learn to love and care for yourself. Loving and caring for yourself also means forgiving yourself for the mistakes you have made and moving forward. Today, ask the Lord to help you to become a true leader. A leader who knows who they are in Him and who loves and cares for those around them with the same heart as Christ.